Diaper



Sept. 18, 1951 J. R. SLUSSER DIAPER Filed May 28, 1949 INVENTOR.

(704mm 1?. 52. ussse,

(QTTOQNEX Patented Sept. 18, 1951 I 1-LUNITED'IQYSTATES DIAPER 1 p Juanita R. Slusser, Pomona, Calif. Application May 28, 1949,seria1No.95,920 v 4 Claims. (01.128-284) This invention relates to improved diapers comprising a pair of specially formed sections secured together in novel manner to attain certain advantages in use and handling not found in the various previously proposed types of diapers.

Specifically, diapers embodying the invention include an outer body section formed of suitable sheet material, and a smaller pad or liner section carried by the outer section and preferably overlying its central region. An important object of the invention is to provide such a pair of normally overlying sections permanently secured together to facilitate handling and use, and yet secured in a manner permitting separation of the sections along practically the entire extent of their normally engaging surfaces during laundermg.

I An additional object is to provide a two section padded or lined diaper of'the above type having novel fastening means carried by the diaper itself for maintaining it about an infant without the use of any pins or other separate fasteners. Preferably, each of the two sections is independently securedin a desired condition, as by snap fasteners. It has been discovered that such independent fastening has advantages in maintaining' the interconnected portions of the diaper in a relatively fixed relation to prevent an undesired pivoting effect which often results when a single snap fastener is relied upon at each side of the diaper.

A further object is to provide a diaper having the above features and formed with a simplicity permitting its manufacture at a cost closely comparable to that of the ordinary single panel rectangular or square diaper.

'Preferably, the outer or body section of the diaper is of trapezoidal configuration and formed of relatively heavy material, as for instance that known as b irds-eye diaper material, and the inner liner or pad is rectangular comprising a number of plies of a highly absorbent material such as gauze.

The above and other features and objects of the invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of the typical embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of the inner side of the diaper showing the outer section extended and the liner or pad section disposed approximately as it is when worn;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing both sections of the diaper substantially as they are when worn;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of theimie'r side of the diaper showing both sections extended;

Fig. 4 is an elevational View of the outer side of the'diaper; and

Fig. 5 illustrates the method of cutting a roll'of diaper material in manufacturing the outersections of a number of diapers.

The diaper illustrated in the drawing come prises an outer or body section II], preferably formed of a relatively heavy material such as birds-eye diaper material, and an inner pad or liner section I I formed of several plies or layers of a highly absorbent material such as gauze. The two sections are secured together along only one end by transverse stitching at [2, and are thus freely separable along substantially their entire extents to'f-acilitate laundering.

Outer section I0 is of trapezoidal configuration, having two parallel endedges I3 and- Ill and a pair of converging lateral edges I5 and I6. Preferably, section III comprisestwo superimposed plies formed of a single sheet of material folded back upon itself along one of the end edges H3 or 14, the two plies being secured in overlyin relation by stitching along their converging lateral edges at 2| and 22. This particular design for the outer section of the diaper isespecially 'desirable because of the ease with which it may be manufactured in quantity from stock rolls of material without the wasting of any material in cutting. Referring to Fig. 5, in which the method of cutting sections II] is illustrated, the material as it is taken from a roll is out along the dotted lines 'I l to form a series of pieces of material, l8, l8a, lab, etc., each including two trapezoidal portions meeting along the original center line of the material. As will be understood, each of these pieces'of material may then be folded at its center'to bring the two trapezoidal portions into overlying relation. The first section [0 formed from the roll of material in Fig. 5 would be folded along the shorter of its two parallel edges, that is, edge l4, while the second section 10 would be folded along edge 13.

The inner liner section II is rectangular in shape, as shown, being of a length approximately equal to the length of outer section It] and extending longitudinally of that outer section along its central region. Section II is made from a single relatively large sheet of gauze or similarly absorbent material folded several times to form a multiple ply pad. Preferably this pad or liner comprises five or six plies of gauze. The sheet from which section II is formed is retained in its folded condition by stitching along its free 3 end at 23, and along its upper attached end at l2. Section in carries on its outer surface a pair of transversely extending tapes 24 and 25 stitched adjacent edge l3 at either side of the diaper. Each of these tapes carries several transversely spaced snap fastener halves 26 to engage other snap halves 21 carried on the inner surfaces of the diaper sections at their lower or free corners. As best seen in Fig.. 3, to compensate for the relatively liatshrinkage of gauze as compared with bird's-eye material, section II is initially formed of a sufficient width to at least partially overlie the snaps 21 of section I0, and of a length slightly greater then section It). Thus, the pad is originally rather large, but shrinks upon washing to a size permitting snapping of the two sections to the condition of Fig; 2 without either fullness or drawing.

As previously indicated, an important advantage of the illustrated type of diaper is that its two, sections are permanently secured together t; facilitate handling, and yet are freely separable along practically their entire extents for ease. in laundering and drying. In use, the free endsof the. two sections, are doubled back and independently snappedateach side to. the upper endof section l0, (see, Fig. 2'). This independent retention'v of each of the, sections in its desired condition serves to retain the interconnected edges. of the sections in relatively fixed relation in a manner preventing an. undesirable, pivoting effect which results when only one snap is employed at, either side of the diaper. As will be understood, the snap halves 21 may be selectively interconnected with any of the various halves 26 to, enable, adjustment of the diaper size; as desired. 7 I

,, With reference, to the claim terminology, it is. specifically noted that when in the claims reference is made to a diaper comprising two i terconnected sections, in combination with fastening means carried by saidsections, it is meantto define, the fastening means as carried bythe; diapersections as. a unit, without specifying, to which section or sections the fasteners are directly attached.

Islam:

1-. A diaper comprising a, first sheet section, a liner: section norm-ally overlying said first sectipn, means permanently securing said sections to ether along, a common edge, each of said sections having an outer freev end spaced from said common, edge, fastening means releasably securing, said outer edge of, the first section to one; ofithe sections, at a pair of spaced locations adjacent saidcommon edge, and. additional fastening means independently releasably securing the outer' edge of the second section to one of 4 said sections at a pair of spaced locations adjacent said common edge.

2. A diaper comprising a first elongated sheet section, an elongated liner section normally overlying said first section and extending longitudinally thereof, means permanently securing said sections together along a first pair of their end edges, said sections being separable along a second pair of endedgesto render their normally adjacent surfaces freely accessible. for laundering, snap fasteners carried by said diaper for releasably securing together the second end of the liner section and the first end of the first section at their corresponding sides, and additional snap, fasteners carried by said diaper for independently releasably securing together the first and second ends of said first section at their corresponding sides.

3. A diaper comprising a first elongated fiat section formed of sheet material, a second and narrower elongated liner section overlying said first section and. extending longitudinally therealong. substantially midway between its lateral edges, means permanently securing said liner section at one of its ends to the first section, said sections b'eing' separable except at said: one end ofthe liner section to render their normally adjacent surfaces freely accessible for laundering, and fastening means carried by saidsectic ns for releasably securing together corresponding corners at opposite ends of said first section.

4'. A diaper comprising a first, elongated flat section of sheet material having a pair of parallel end edges and a pair of converging side edges; a rectangular liner section overlying said first section and extending longitudinally therea-long substantially midway between its lateral edges; means permanently securing said sections together along one end of the liner section, said sectionsv being, separable except at said, end of the liner to render their normally adjacent sur faces freely accessible forlaundering, and snap fasteners carried by said first section for releas ably securing together the corresponding corners at. its opposite ends.

JUANITA R'. SLUSSER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record. in.- the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

